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Author Topic: How much to pay for lessons?  (Read 706 times)

rjthakid

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How much to pay for lessons?
« on: March 06, 2006, 08:33:54 AM »
An organist is going to start giving me lessons from next week.  The first session is free (an evaluation type of thing to see where I'm at) after which, we'll set a rate.

I'll be paying by the lesson, not by the hour.  Each lesson being btwn 2-3 hours.

How much should I offer?  I don't want to insult him, but I don't want to overpay.

I should also note that this guy is VERY good.  He's played for many concerts and major events, and he's currently doing some recording work.

Offline Big_Al

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Re: How much to pay for lessons?
« Reply #1 on: March 06, 2006, 10:02:03 AM »
Hi-I'm currently taking lessons from a professional organist as well. He's charge me $35.00 per hour (2 hrs min) = $70.00. However, it all depends on what you're working on. His lessons include one song I need help on, and two lesson songs (gospel hymns). This includes the following:

a.) Left hand technique
b.) Right hand voicing
c.) bass pedal
d.) putting at all together.
e.) Finally, reading the chords

I usually, give him a tip at the end of each lesson.

I hope this helps.


God Bless in your music ministry.

-Al

All That I Am, I Owe to the LORD.

Offline diverse379

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Re: How much to pay for lessons?
« Reply #2 on: March 06, 2006, 11:24:14 AM »
I have studied with some top musicians but they are not always the best teachers so the playing ability of the musician is not as important as their ability to mentor coach motivate and gude you

I studied with the Great Jaki Byard Do a google on him he was tight

He was the best teacher he knew how to get the most out of you and he taught to your strenghts  and if he saw you werent practicing he would help you figure out why and if you still didnt practice he would recommend you do something else with your money he charged 50 per hour and this was 20 years ago so it was like paying 120 dollars a lesson now but he only taught you once a month and he gave you hand written exercises to work on

I studied with Enos payne a former student of Jaki and ex director of New Yorks Jazz mobile he knew his stuff and he played well but he was not a great teacher he was one sided and closed minded and impatient he was only out for money he charged me 30 and hour a bargain but not really because i never really learned anything

I studied with Melvin Crispell Great organist
He let me develop my own sound he encouraged me to be creative I never really caught the melvin sound but he helped me build my sound

he charged me 40 per hour
well worth the investment
Jerome Taylor auther of Advanced chord for favorite hyms was a good teacher but he didnt teach me from my strenghs which is theory and reading. he was still great though but he was a two and half hour commute away. and  he charged 30 for a two hour lesson  which was really mostly you shedding on his A100 which was fine with me

Charles minor probably one of the best teachers in the business
only charged me 25.00 because he taught me on a keyboard but I learened so much from him

Victor simonson a great jazz and classical pianist charged me 40.00 he was a great and demanding teacher for technique but not for improvisation and gospel styling but he gave me a solid foundation in scale playing and an apprecieation for reading.

I Studied with another excellent musician I wont mention his name but he was equal in ability to Victor but his teaching method was not good for me i learned nothing from him or should /I say I retained nothing from him

My point is as a student you should first understand how you learn are you visual , kinesthetic (meaning by feel ) or are you auditory

I am kinethetic I ned to write out stuff read it on paper practice it and dissect it before I can get it

I had one teacher who talked half the lesson and never really let me write the stuff out so I did not learn as much from him

most teachers teach how they learn so if you are visual you wont get as much from a kinesthetic teacher they will go to slow for you

If you are kinesthetic a visual teacher will make you dizzy with the stuff they throw at you

Your answer to the question you asked is pay what you feel his teaching will impart to you.

if you walk away from your trial lesson with new voicings to use or a new way to look at music if you walk away feeling empowered and confident if your church notices a difference in a few weeks your money is well spent
Na mean

God Bless
To be or not to be that is the question you anwer when you pray practice and read your word

rjthakid

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Re: How much to pay for lessons?
« Reply #3 on: March 06, 2006, 12:28:38 PM »
Wow.  Thanks Diverse379 & Big Al.  Very helpful posts.   :)
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